After the Storm
'After the Storm '''is the first episode and season premiere of the fifth season of ''Castle. Summary After four seasons of "will they" or "won't they," Richard Castle and Kate Beckett finally gave in to their feelings for each other in the much anticipated Season 4 finale. Season 5 picks up on the proverbial morning after, with Castle and Beckett facing new questions -- Was this a one-time fling, or are they now a couple? But before they find the answers, they must take on the forces responsible for Beckett's mother's murder that now threaten Kate Beckett's life. Also in the episode, Jack Coleman ("Heroes") guest stars as a well-liked U.S. Senator who finds himself in conflict with Beckett. Recap Promo Cast Main Cast *Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle *Stana Katic as Detective Kate Beckett *Jon Huertas as Detective Javier Esposito *Seamus Dever as Detective Kevin Ryan *Tamala Jones as Dr. Lanie Parish (credit only) *Penny Johnson Jerald as Captain Victoria Gates *Molly C. Quinn as Alexis Castle *Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers Guest Cast *Jack Coleman Castle - Episode 5.01 - After The Storm - ABC Press Release as Senator Bracken *Geoff Pierson as Mr. Smith *Tahmoh Penikett as Cole Maddox *Valerie Azlynn as Officer Ann Hastings *Nick Hoffa as Staff Sgt. Cass *Maurice Warfield as Vice President Russell *Amy Vorpahl as Paramedic *Rico Devereaux as Uniformed Officer *Michael Duisenberg as Bodyguard *Dan Wells as Uniformed Cop *Janet Song as Nurse Quotes Featured Music Trivia *This is the first season premiere that is not written by series creator Andrew Marlowe. *This is the first time Tamala Jones, who plays Lanie Parish, don't appear in the season premiere since Castle began. *Esposito still holds a grudge against Ryan, considering him a traitor. Ryan now appears to return the hostility. *After the high-profile rescue of Beckett and Esposito, their suspensions, and the literally explosive incident the next day involving Cole Maddox, it's almost inconceivable that Officer Hastings had not heard that Beckett was off the job. There are three possible reasons for her behavior. First, she simply hadn't heard what happened yet. Second, she may have transferred to a different precinct after the events of Heroes and Villains, where she wouldn't have been in a position to hear gossip about the 12th Precinct. Third, it's possible that she did know, and let Beckett through security anyway, pretending to accept an excuse she knew was bogus. :Had Beckett really been on security detail, she would have been able to bypass the line and metal detectors as a matter of course. Hastings's knowing look and parting line seem to suggest that she knew the magnitude of the favor that she was doing for Beckett. *Mr. Smith stated that his best bet to avoid assassination would be to stay silent and simply vanish. Shortly afterward, he died. While the implication is that Senator Bracken had him killed (supported by the removal of his protective detail and the disabled security cameras), it's also possible that he faked his own death to facilitate his escape. ** Previous episodes with faked deaths in Castle include "Ghosts", "Anatomy of a Murder", "Poof! You're Dead", and "The Blue Butterfly". In Anatomy of a Murder, Nurse McClintock uses drugs on his imprisoned girlfriend to fake a cardiac arrest, then smuggles her body away after she is found "dead". ** Against this interpretation is the fact that Smith had been taken by surprise by Maddox. After being tortured, he was left tied up and unconscious. Castle and Beckett showed up shortly after he regained consciousness. Unless he set up his escape the moment he woke up, while Castle and Beckett were still en route, he wouldn't have had the opportunity to set up such an elaborate plan. * There is typically a "summer break" in the storyline, so that episodes air in approximately the same time of year that they depict. This episode takes place in the spring of 2012, in the three days following the events of After the Storm. Beckett and Esposito serving out their suspensions suggests will mean that they return to active duty in the fall, allowing the following episodes to be in sync with their air dates. References After the Storm After the Storm After the Storm After the Storm